(CNN) - Hillary Clinton said again Monday that no Democratic presidential candidate can win without a victory in West Virginia - and drew a parallel between her own campaign and John Kennedy’s 1960 White House run.

“It was West Virginia that made it possible for John Kennedy to become president,” Clinton said at a Clear Fork, West Virginia campaign stop. “Now, John Kennedy didn’t have the number of delegates he needed when he went to the convention in 1960. He had something equally as important - he had West Virginia behind him, because it’s a fact that Democrats don’t get elected president unless West Virginia votes for you…”

Barack Obama may be the party’s pledged and superdelegate leader – but that status does not appear to have helped him in West Virginia, where Clinton leads by 30-40 points in recent state polls.

“So I’m here today because I know what’s really going to matter tomorrow,” said Clinton. “It’s the votes of the people of West Virginia and if you will come out and honor me with your vote I will work my heart out for you.

Clinton criticized the Democratic front-runner on his health care proposal, and his rejection of her proposed “gas tax holiday.”

“My opponent Sen. Obama says, “Oh no, that’s just a gimmick, that’s not going to help people,” said Clinton before again arguing that it will save families $70 on average and more for those with longer commutes as well as truckers.

Clinton added that West Virginia proportionately has more veterans, “more people who have served in the conflicts and in the armed forces of the United States….

“It is the hard-working, dedicated people of West Virginia who have really made America what it has been, and what it will be again.”

soundoff(659 Responses)

If you are a small child, and too stupid to know how inappropriate that statement is, forgive my harshness.

May 12, 2008 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

haha

How dare you NOT bow down and worship the great Obama.

May 12, 2008 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

CJ

Sharon said "I am absolutely disgusted with the disrespect shown to a Clinton". Who in the heck are the Clinton's that they should be given some type of respect? Why, because Bill was a pres (who lied under oath and was impeached) and for her ducking and dodging bullets in Bosnia? This has been talked about many times on CNN where people, especially Clintonites feel that the presidency is owed to the Clintons again. They are no more deserving of it than Obama or McCain. The one with the most votes in the general election will win-period point blank. As far as this democratic issue is concerned, the one with the most delegates, wins and right now Obama leads in delegates, states, and votes. That is the plain simple truth. Nothing more, nothing less.

May 12, 2008 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

jeff - Dallas

That is a stretch, comparing herself to JFK. Unfortunately, Senator Ted Kennedy, and JFK's daughter, Caroline have already said that Obama is the one that reminds them of JFK.
Hillary is shameless.

May 12, 2008 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Dina Phila., Pa

Wow!!! Now Hillary is comparing herself to JFK??? My goodness.....is there nothing she won't Xerox!!!! Get your own campaign Hillary. Opps, I forgot, you don't have one, now do you Hillary?

May 12, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

Cali

Senator Clinton, with all due respect, from what we've seen throughout this campaign you're no JFK.

May 12, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

Mike

Obama is going to lose the general... all it will take is less than 5% of the democratic base to defect or simply not vote...

Clinton will then stand up and say "I told you so!!!"

May 12, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

cubanamericanwoman - OC - CA

Jesus .... GIVE IT UP WOMAN!!!!!!

This is disgusting! Are peopole in W.Virginia and Kentucky on drugs? How can anyone not see thru this woman?

May 12, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

Latha

"And Senator...you are no John Kennedy."

May 12, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

Pol

Somebody wrote that "Clinton should stay in the race until she will be satisfied." I think that is not already the Democratic Party problem, it is Bill's problem.

May 12, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

biggyone12

It's good to see Hilary back on track with the rednecks. Hil's divisiveness is really good stuff. Appealing to rednecks says a heck of a lot. Kentucky, Ohio,WVA are all pretty much haters of black folks. Obama has no chance with the Seniors. Nice win Hilary very impressive with the divisiveness. Good to see you love the race issue which is not holding up in the educated states. More whites have voted for Obama than you ever imagined. Stop wasting time and go off in the sunset.

May 12, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

OROVWUJE ISRAEL NY USA

Hillary Clinton should be ashamed of herself, in fact, she is becoming a big disappointment to the demoratic party and the nation to have compared herself to one of the most famous president of our time. Finally, i wish to advice the party leaders to put a stop to it before she destroys the party because there is no one person or group of person that is greater than the collective will of the party.

May 12, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

love you Hill

Love this woman more every minute.

The nation is all puckered up and brown-nosed from kissing the butt of the Great Supreme Ruler Obama.

And she does not give a hoot.

She is fighting for her Country. People never see the truth until it is too late.

May 12, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

rusty

Hillary will probably win West Virginia by a very large margin, but it will only give her another week to push her delusional idea that she can win this thing. Hopefully, Oregon will put an end to all this. Hillary should be trying to figure out how she is going to pay off her campaign debt. The Clinton "spin and slash" politics is about to go the way of the dinosaurs. Let the people of West Virginia speak, that is their right, but it is a most likely nothing more than a last hurrah for the Clinton's

May 12, 2008 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Vig

Can Obama be any more superficial?

May 12, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

mitchell from arkansaw

how many susans from missouri are there?i like this one.

May 12, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Jim T

Here's a fact overlooked by the media and pundits. The fact is, if the primaries that Sen. Obama already won were to have the election NOW – after everything about him, his wife's lack of pride in the USA, his "spiritual mentor's" and church's hatred for white Americans, his far left and Marxist beliefs and his empty rhetoric has been exposed – he would NOT have the lead in any measure. Not in popular vote and not in delegates. On a redo, right now, Sen. Clinton would beat Sen. Obama hands down. And THAT'S what the Democrats should be thinking about when they nominate their next Presidential candidate.

May 12, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

David Haife

We are a group of concerned American, republicans and yes it is time to confess our sins. We did what we did for America by creating a divide between Clinton supporters and those of Obamas. We were responsible for blogging as supporters of each candidate and throwing dirty words out here. However, we respected each candidate and did not do that on their private website.
The Obama movement was growing and we felt it could not be stopped so we had to divide the dems because it is important that you guys don’t win come November, so that explains why on blogs like this it has been very rude but not your candidates websites.
No offense meant but now that the damage has been done to both candidates beyond repair we are moving on to Operation SWEEP. CHAOS started with the blogs and ended in the polls, and SWEEP will be more telling even Karl Rove would be jealous. We know Bush was a mistake but that does not mean we have to put up with a democrat in office because we’ve had very good republicans. We have presented a moderate in John McCain and he will work with the democrat’s best. Let the games begin.
And we are having so much FUN, nice thing about the internet! Think about it FOLKS and give us one more chance to WIN this war and right the wrongs of BUSH.

May 12, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Kenneth M

DID ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

The friendship ended after Bob Woodward revealed in a 1996 book that Houston had helped guide a devastated Hillary Clinton in imaginary conversations with her hero Eleanor Roosevelt.

May 12, 2008 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Tsadik

I think it is time for Senator Clinton to go to New York and finish all hanging businesses. She better go to New York right now.

May 12, 2008 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

loren

Thank You Democrats for making me cross party lines. No Hillary, No Democratic vote from me and my family. We would rather vote Republican then vote for a President whose former moral advisor is a bigot.

May 12, 2008 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Mark and other Clinton fools.

Obama has earned this. He has not stolen anything and has not broken any rules. People will vote but the writing is on the wall and your candidate puts herself before all others and the party of which she joined on her own many, many years ago. It was her biggest and long time supporter, McGovern, who came out first and told her to drop out. Don't blame Obama or his supporters for that. And stop being crybaby, soresport, losers.

May 12, 2008 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Josh in San Antonio, TX

A truly sad turn to what has otherwise been quite a remarkable political career...

May 12, 2008 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

adam

Fact: Clinton is winning my large margins in West Virginia
Fact: West Virginia is a "solid" Republican State
Fact: Solid Republican states want a Republican candidate to win
Fact: Rush Limbaugh is still behind Operation Chaos
Fact: Rush wants Clinton to win
Fact: Rush is calling all Republicans to switch parties and vote in OUR Democratic primaries to vote for Clinton
Fact: White, Blue-collar, non-educated citizens support Clinton
Fact: If you add the white, blue-collar, non-educated citizens with all the Republicans switching parties to vote for Hillary then......

Fact: Hillary will win by large margins in W. Virginia

However:

Fact: Winning in W. Virginia cannot compare to having the most pledged delegates, superdelegates, caucuses, states won, popular vote and surplus budget.

Fact: Hillary Clinton is a will do and say anything candidate.

Fact: Obama 08.

May 12, 2008 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Jeanne

Why make references to JFK- did HRC forget that Caroline and Teddy are supporting Obama? Withdraw gracefully and salvage what's left of your dignity and the legacy of yourl husband.

Don't blow it for the Dems in 2008 because Democratic voters will punish you for it in the future – don't even think you have a shot at 2012.